HOME: TIANJIN, CHINA

MAJOR: ACTUARIAL SCIENCE

HOBBIES: DRAWING

FAVORITE SAYING: DO ONTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD DO ONTO YOURSELF.

Tianjin is a port city in China, located along the Bohai Sea, about 80 miles southeast of Beijing. ZhouXu said it’s a diverse city with many different cultures and customs.

With a population of 15 million, it’s the fifth largest city in China. Lincoln’s 300,000 residents would represent only 2 percent of Tianjin’s population.

For ZhouXu, it’s been a transition, indeed, but he has adjusted. He said the lifestyle in Lincoln is more tranquil than in Tianjin.

“It’s very different here compared to my hometown,” he said with a chuckle, “but I really like it here. The people are friendly and chill.”

He particularly enjoys a less arduous commute. On a normal school day in China, ZhouXu said it took two hours to get to and from high school because of traffic.

ZhouXu said he had a great home life in China. He’s a single child, but he says his dog, Pipi, is just like his sibling. His parents are both electrical engineers who work for the same Chinese company.

When it came to ZhouXu’s college decision, he weighed a few options: go to school in China or come to America. Once he decided to come to the U.S. and apply at a few universities, he said, UNL stood out.

He started at UNL undeclared, but he said he was encouraged by friends to try out actuarial science.

“Not a lot of universities offer this major, and if you get a degree in it, you can get a really good job.”

ZhouXu said he’s not sure whether or not he’ll go back to the China or stay in the United States after he graduates.

“A lot of people ask me that, but I just say I don’t really care,” he said. “I would be really happy with both.”